United States:Would Casablancahave been rated over-17? Depictions of smoking in films in the US will now be a factor when deciding what a film's rating will be, the Motion Picture Association of America said on Thursday. The policy affects only new movies.
Along with violence, depictions of sex, adult language and other content considerations, ratings organisations will examine new releases to determine if they glamorise smoking or if it is pervasive through the films, even among adults. Underage smoking has always been considered when rating a film.
"Clearly, smoking is increasingly an unacceptable behaviour in our society," Dan Glickman, chairman of the motion picture association, said. "There is broad awareness of smoking as a unique public health concern due to nicotine's highly-addictive nature, and no parent wants their child to take up the habit."
A number of groups have called for almost all films that depict smoking to automatically receive an R rating, a plan the movie studios oppose. Children under 17 are not allowed into R-rated films unless they are with an adult.
Cigarettes were once an indispensable film prop - something for actors to do with their hands and to establish character traits, such as "edgy" and "rebellious". Stars such as Humphrey Bogart and Bette Davis helped make smoking seem sophisticated. A leading man was not a gentleman unless he lit a lady's cigarette. Tobacco giant Philip Morris said it supported the new policy and has for years refused requests to use company products in films.
- (LA Times-Washington Post service)